Steering-wheel.



J. M. FAHNESTOCK.

STEERING. WHEEL. -APPUCATION FILED DECJI, 1913.

m? Patented Deo. 26, 1915.

TT www LLl-L I UNITED STATES 'PATENT onirica.

JAMES MURRAY' FAHNns'rocmoF rITTsBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEERING-WHEEL.

specificanon of Letters ratent. y Patented@ 26, 19ML Application filed December 11, 1913. Serial No.' 805,962.4

o all @hom t may concern.' .l

Be it known that I, JAMES MURRAY FAHNE- STOCK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, (North Side,) in the countyv of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful 1mprovement in Steering-Wheels; and' I do hereby declare-the following to bea full, clear, and' exact description thereof. v-

My invention relates to automobiles, aero? planes or any mechanism having steering or guiding apparatus and relates particularly to the steering wheel of the same which is made in such a form as to permit of anadjustment Aof the distance ofthe same from the drivers seat without'any change or 'adi justment in the position of the steering shaft.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple and eliicieit form of steering wheel wherein an easy adjustment may be made to suit the taste of the driver.

A further object is to provide a wheel which will be'ad'apted to the personal taste j of any driver in that it. may be adjusted to a position close to such drivers body lor at a .distance from the same as desired.

My invention consists, generally stated, inv

the novel arrangementand construction as hereinafterset forth and described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

To enablev others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to construct, use and operate my improved steeringwheel I will describethe same more fully referring tothe accompanying drawing, inrwhicht- Figure 1 is a partial side'view of an automobile showing the location of the steering 'shaft and wheel. Fig. 2 -is a plan view 'of my improved-steering wheel. Fig. 3 is a side elevationof the sa-me. Fig. l is a partial sectional view showing the preferred y latch arrangement.

Like symbols of reference herein indicate like parts in each of the figures of the draw'- in bile A is equipped with the usual seats the i forward one 1 of which is occupied by the driver and before which the steering mecha-v nism B is located. This steering a paratus B has a steering shaft or lrod 2 at t e upper.

' end of which a steering wheel 3 is secured for the purpose of steering the automobile through the medium of the mechanism ordinarily arranged beneath the body 'C of the automobile and not shown.

g As illiistrated in the drawing the automo The steering wheel 3 has a rim 4 which is lsubstantially circular and which 'may be off any desired material.A This rim is provided with short arms 5a and long arms 5b which extend inwardly from the same and` to a hub 6 which Iis cast integrallyl therewithso 1 that the hub constitutes a socket 7 for fitting over the end of the steering4 shaft 2 to which it connected by the ordinary suitable. means of connection. This arrangement of,

the hub (3 and arms or spokes 5il and 5b provides an eccentric steering wheel which may be adjusted with the one side of the rim 4a'.

at a short distance from the socket 7 or with the other side of the rimlb a greater distance from said socket depending on the dif# ference of lengthof the said arms 5a and 5*.I

The steering wheel is providedwith a latch member 8 which is spring'actuated 'and permits of the pin 9 thereon entering or being withdrawn from the keyway or hole 1.0 in order to either hold the said wheel in a rigid position as regards the shaft or else when operated it will allow the wheel Y to be swung around so that the p'in 9 will en' ter the other slot or hole 10. If desired, thev steering wheel lmay be secured to; the shaftV 2 by a set screw or with feather keys or the end of the shaft maybe made square to fit into a square socket in the hubofthe wheel.'

I'twill readily be seen that the hub needv lnot be vlocated any great amount off center since the adjustment acquired Will be twice the amount of the off center location.

4For instance, if the hub were located one inch ed center there would be an adjustment of two inches from the driving seat.. A f Practical experiments have shownthat of the driving or steering of automo biles is done without turning the steering This same purpose has sometimes been accomplished by changing the thickness-of the .cushions on the drivers seat butthisl has been found tobe impracticable as the proper -ioo sizes or thicknesses of cushions may not always beat hand, while with my. Aeccentric amoments time.

-Snider the steering 'WheelI may be adjusted in steering wheel mounted on said steering 15 y shaft so as to beaccessble from .said seat, L IIarious'A modifications and changes in the said steering wheel having an eccentric hub,- design and construction 'of my improved ec' anda pin carried by said hub and adapted l 5 centric steering wheel may be resorted to to enter one o r Athe other of'sad apertures,

s nch as numerous methods of holding lthe for the purposesV seaforth. 20-l steering Wheel to the shaft withou't'depart- .Inl testimony whereof, I thel said JAMES 'y ing from thespirit of the invention or sacr- MURRAY FAHNEs'roCK have hereunto set my eing any of its advantages'. hand.

' -IVhat I claimas-m invention anddesire v to secar-,e byL-etters tenais E. JAMES MURRAY FAHNESTOCK- In anautomobile, a drivers seat, a steer! Witnesses: ing shaft having a pair ofdiametrically op- T. B. HUMPHRIES,

posed apertures adjacent the end thereof;v a'- J. N. CooKE. 

